Stationary radiographic imaging equipment are employed in medical facilities (e.g., in a radiological department) to capture medical x-ray images on x-ray detector. Mobile radiographic carts can include an x-ray source used to capture (e.g., digital) x-ray images on x-ray detector. Such medical x-ray images can be captured using various techniques such as computed radiography (CR) and digital radiography (DR) in radiographic detectors.
A related art digital radiography (DR) imaging panel (e.g., flat panel detector) acquires image data from a scintillating medium using an array of individual sensors, arranged in a row-by-column matrix, in which each sensor provides a single pixel of image data. Each pixel generally includes a photosensor and a switching element that can be arranged in a planar or a vertical manner, as is generally known in the art. In these imaging devices, hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is commonly used to form the photodiode and the thin-film transistor switch needed for each pixel. DR detectors can include several thousands of picture elements, or pixels. In one known imaging arrangement, a frontplane has an array of photosensitive elements, and a backplane has an array of thin-film transistor (TFT) switches.
A traditional unit cell pixel architecture design used in digital radiographic applications would contain 1 transistor element and 1 photodiode element. A row of transistor elements would be controlled by a common row select control signal that can connect photodiode elements to their respective output column (e.g., data line).
However, there is a need for improvements in the consistency and/or quality of medical x-ray images, particularly when obtained by an x-ray apparatus designed to operate with a-Si DR x-ray detectors.